Quench-protecting electrical circuit for a superconducting magnet

(19)

(11)

EP 0 828 331 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	28.04.1999 Bulletin 1999/17

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	11.03.1998 Bulletin 1998/11

(21)	Application number: 97306825.7

(22)	Date of filing: 03.09.1997

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁶: H02H 7/00

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

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Priority:

04.09.1996 US 707551

(71)	Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
	Schenectady, NY 12345 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Gross, Dan Arthur Niskayuna, New York 12309 (US) Xu, Bu-Xin Florence, South Carolina 29501 (US)

(74)	Representative: Goode, Ian Roy et al
	London Patent Operation General Electric International, Inc., Essex House, 12-13 Essex Street London WC2R 3AA London WC2R 3AA (GB)

(54)	Quench-protecting electrical circuit for a superconducting magnet

(57) A quench-protecting superconductive-magnet electrical circuit. An impregnated superconductive-switch wire (26) is coupled to the leads (14,16) of a cryostable superconductive-coil assemblage (12) having series-coupled coil portions (18,20,22,24). Series-coupled fan-in resistive heaters (52,54,56,58) are also coupled in parallel with corresponding coil portions and are positioned thermally proximate the superconductive-switch wire. Fan-out resistive heaters (68,70,72,74) are coupled in parallel with corresponding coil portions and are positioned thermally proximate corresponding coil portions. A local quench in one coil portion activates its corresponding fan-in resistive heater which quenches the superconductive-switch wire which activates all of the fan-out resistive heaters which globally quenches all of the coil portions thereby preventing local quench damage.

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